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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mounting brackets and particularly to mounting brackets for mounting a fixture in the recess of a structural wall.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is common practice to mount audio speakers, exhaust fans, and air conditioning duct work in a wall recess. A wide variety of frames and housings have been developed that require large openings and various hooks and bolt/nut combinations that are awkward and do not mount the installed device securely. These include apparatus wherein the rear frame is the same size as the front frame and must be meticulously fitted through the wall opening. It is quite cumbersome to install because of the difficulty in holding the rear frame in place and properly aligned while installing the screws or bolts. What is desired is a mounting assembly that requires the minimum opening to be made in a wall or ceiling and can securely mount heavy items such as large audio speakers.
In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting assembly for mounting a fixture in an opening in a wall defining a recess comprising an integral frame housing having a first pair of oppositely disposed and spaced side members and a second pair of oppositely disposed and spaced side members, the pairs of side members defining an open interior space adapted to accommodate a fixture, a pair of clamps for engaging a rear surface of a wall adjacent an opening defining a recess in a wall, fastening means for movably mounting each clamp to a respective side member of the first pair of side members, the fastening means including at least one hole through each respective side member of the first pair of side members. There is at least one hole through each of the clamps. An elongated bolt means is inserted through the holes to secure one clamp to a respective side member of the first pair of side members and at least one hole in a side member being generally larger than a diameter of a bolt to allow inward movement of the bolt to dispose respective clamp temporarily interiorly of an outermost extension of the frame housing adapted to closely fit within a recess of a wall. The frame housing has an outer laterally extending flange border completely covering a recess of a wall, and the bolt means is tightened to move the pair of clamps laterally outwardly to secure respective first pair of side members to a front surface of a wall adjacent a recess in a wall and to secure respective clamp to a rear surface of a wall adjacent a recess in a wall. When the bolt means is fully tightened it will sandwich a wall adjacent a recess between the pair of clamps and the flange. In other aspects each of the first pair of side members includes an inner flange extending inwardly into the interior space and a respective clamp is mounted to the inner flange. The flange border includes a pair of outer flanges extending generally coextensive with the clamps. The clamps self align with the frame when the frame and clamps are tightened together with the bolts.
Each of the first pair of side members includes a wall member having an upper portion and a lower portion and an outer flange extending outwardly from the top portion of the wall member for engaging a front surface of a recess in a wall and an inner flange extending inwardly into the interior space from the lower portion of the wall member, the pair of clamps being pivotally mounted to respective inner flange. Each clamp has an outer flange for engaging a rear surface of a wall and an inner flange extending inwardly, the holes for pivotally mounting a clamp to respective side member being formed in the inner flange.
Further aspects of the invention include a mounting assembly for mounting a fixture in an opening in a wall defining a recess comprising an integral frame housing having a first pair of oppositely disposed and spaced side members and a second pair of oppositely disposed and spaced side members, the pairs of side members defining an open interior space adapted to accommodate a fixture. The first pair of side members each includes a wall member having an upper portion and a lower portion and an outer flange extending outwardly from the top portion of the wall member for engaging the front surface of a wall and an inner flange extending inwardly into the interior space from the lower portion of the wall member. A pair of clamps is provided for engaging a rear surface of a wall and fastening means for movably mounting each clamp to a respective side member of the first pair of side members. The fastening means includes at least one hole through each inner flange and at least one hole through each clamp. A bolt means is inserted through each hole to secure each clamp to a respective side member of the first pair, at least one hole in the inner flange being generally larger than the diameter of the bolt to allow inward movement of the bolt to dispose respective clamp temporarily interiorly of the outermost extension of a wall member of respective side member. The bolt means is tightened to move the pair of clamps laterally outwardly to secure respective clamp to the rear surface of a wall adjacent a recess in a wall. The bolt means when fully tightened will sandwich a wall adjacent a recess between the pair of clamps and the flange. Each clamp has an outer flange for engaging the rear surface of a wall and an inner flange extending inwardly, the holes for pivotally mounting a clamp to respective side member being formed in the inner flange. Each respective wall member of each first pair of side members has at least one hole formed therethrough for securing a side member to a stud member adjacent a rear surface of a wall.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a mounting assembly for mounting a fixture in an opening in a wall defining a recess comprising a unitary frame housing having a first pair of oppositely disposed and spaced side members and a second pair of oppositely disposed and spaced side members, each of the second pair being attached at right angles to one of the first pair, the pairs of side members thereby defining an open interior space adapted to accommodate a fixture. One of the first pair of side members and one of the second pair of side members each includes an outer flange extending outwardly of the interior space for engaging the front surface of a wall and an inner flange extending inwardly into the interior space. A pair of clamps is provided for engaging the rear surface of a wall and fastening means is provided for pivotally mounting each clamp to a respective side member of the first pair of side members. The fastening means includes at least one hole through each inner flange. There is at least one hole through each clamp and a bolt means is inserted through each hole to secure each clamp to a respective side member of the first pair. At least one hole in the inner flange is generally larger than the diameter of the bolt to dispose respective clamp temporarily interiorly of an opening in a wall, the bolts being tightened to secure respective outer flange to the surface of a wall adjacent a recess opening in a wall and to secure respective outer flange to the surface of a wall adjacent a recess opening in a wall and to secure respective clamp to a rear surface of a wall adjacent a recess opening in a wall.
Other aspects of the invention include a method of mounting a fixture in an opening in a wall defining a recess comprising the steps of: mounting a frame having an outwardly extending border flange into the recess to position the flange against an outer surface of the wall adjacent the opening; movably mounting clamps for engaging a rear surface of the wall adjacent the opening to the frame in a manner to allow for temporarily moving the clamps interiorly of the outermost extension of the opening; moving the clamps outwardly after the frame and the clamps have been mounted in the recess; and moving the clamps against a rear surface of the wall adjacent the opening to sandwich the wall adjacent the opening between the clamps and the flange.